Down to Zero We Go
by The Wandering Quill
Summary: A collection of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero crossover oneshot/twoshot fics, ranging from serious to crack...because being written by Gen Urobuchi is suffering. (NOTE: Some chapters will be considered a companion to The Bullets of My Gun.)


**Disclaimer:**I do not own _Fate/Zero_ or _Puella Magi Madoka Magica_. They belong to TYPE-MOON and SHAFT, respectively, and were both written by Gen Urobuchi.

**Summary:** He saw the image of a young boy, standing in the spot where this frail girl was desperately trying to throw away the gun in her hand…A young boy named Kerry, once full of smiles and endless dreams. A young boy he had killed a lifetime ago…and Kiritsugu could not help but weep inside at the cruelties Fate placed upon its children.

**A/N:** So…a somewhat sad-ish kickoff to _Down to Zero We Go_, eh? I felt like writing some depressing/serious stuff after all of my goofing off in the omakes for my current fics. :B Although, the second-to-last scene where Homura mercy-kills Kiritsugu in the _Birds of a Feather Omake_ was a bit more depressing, I suppose.

"_Can I call you 'otousan'…? Just this once…?"_

Anyway, I wasn't sure how to approach the summary for this oneshot, so I just sorta winged it…Kinda like Shinobu. Thank Godoka, Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade didn't go batshit insane on them…though I would not deny that having a fight like that would've been pretty badass to see. B)

Think of this as one world amidst the vast possibilities of the Multiverse.

…Oh. That reminds me…TO ALL _BULLETS OF MY GUN_ READERS/FOLLOWERS—I need answers to the questions I posed at the end of the Intermission. They will be of great importance to Chapter 3 when Homura finally gets to fight against Lancer, but I need your input on them, guys! That will cut down on people's (probable) bitching later on. So here are the questions:

**1.** Would you like to see Homura's Time Stops as a Personal Skill instead of a Noble Phantasm? They seemed effortless to her in the anime, after all. And with the scene where she's trolling both Sayaka and Kyouko, as well as the highway scene, she didn't need to turn her shield to bring Time to a halt.

**2.** A plot bunny has been whispering into my ear about a possible Noble Phantasm called _Wheel of Samsara/For You, A Thousand Years_. What do you guys think? Depending on your responses to this, it will be capped at 24 hours, since 72 hours would be too much of an edge in F/Z's Grail War, no matter how great of a reference it would be to good ol' Termina. It will also consume a **huge** deal of mana, so it's limited to only **one** use.

Even if you aren't a _Bullets of My Gun_ reader/follower, I'd still appreciate it if you took the time to give an answer. :D

While we're on **that** note…**I SAW SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T HAVE YESTERDAY.** Through sheer force of habit, I found myself on the Recent Changes page of the PMMM wiki right before I decided to go to sleep. Needless to say, it was the **WORST DECISION EVER**, as someone had already decided to post a few images from the _Rebellion Story_ movie with **MAJOR** SPOILER titles. Spoilers that made my little heart commit seppuku and the feels making the bus go 'round spin faster to reach 200 mph speeds.

From the 2 images I've seen (out of context and confusing as hell, but still heartbreaking, nonetheless)…Urobuchi has created something akin to the AKEMI I have planned for _The Bullets of My Gun_—the AKEMI that I had hoped would never happen in canon, simply because it would be too tragic to do so, where one's love is twisted into something barely resembling what it once was.

But unlike AKEMI…the horror that led to a fitful night's sleep is the possibility that someone _won't_ be saved, but that someone _**cannot**_ be saved.

Of course, I have no idea if that is a real possibility, but judging by the uploader's **(**_May you rot in everlasting Hell for posting—of __**all**__ that you could __**possibly**__ have posted from the movie—__**THESE**__ spoilers…!_**)** fury towards Urobuchi…all I can say is, I hope to Godoka that things will make sense. Gen did mention that fans will be divided on the outcome. And with that…well played, Urobuchi. You've lulled us into a false sense of safety; made us lower our guard and think there was nothing worse you had up your sleeve; nothing at **THIS** level.

_Fate/Zero_ had nothing on this. You just had to go _**THERE,**_** to that level none of us would have dared to consider not only because it seemed unlikely given her devotion, but also because it would be utterly tragic and horrible.**

You truly are worthy to be **Angra Mainyu**, Gen Urobuchi.

…

And on a lighter note…enjoy the fic.

* * *

**Down to Zero We Go**

**-x-x-x-x-x-**

_**She Has a Past**_

* * *

…Witches.

He hated them, but they came _nowhere near_ the level of sheer, unadulterated hatred he held towards the Incubator responsible for them.

That furry devil had manipulated his only daughter into a contract, preying on the love she held for her parents before eventually watching her turn into one of those monstrous, Lovecraftian creations; a cruel mockery of everything she—_**they**_—fought for. If only her wish could have at least been put to better use…!

…_No. Perhaps it was for the best. Because now…_

Now he could warn others of the truth behind the Incubator's honeyed words.

He grit his teeth, trying not to think of his beloved daughter's crimson eyes gazing up at him in open admiration, nor of his wife's loving touch on his cheek, a gentle murmur caressing his ear during his more vulnerable moments.

"_I wished…that Mommy and Daddy could see the world of the Puellae Magi!  
That way, you could finally believe what I've been saying all this time!  
And…maybe Daddy could even…help me out sometimes?"_

It was unnerving how much his client had been able to look into him. He wasn't sure _exactly_ how much his client knew, but even so, he loathed being manipulated—even if, admittedly, this mission aligned with his own personal interests. His client knew of his hatred for Witches and the names of two particular individuals—that was more than enough, not including whatever else was dug up. The man he had hired to wipe his information from the world's databases would need to be disposed of later for his incompetence…or fired, at least.

_I _knew_ I should have hired that Oswin girl instead…_

Emiya Kiritsugu frowned, suddenly wondering if his consideration to fire that bungling 'hacker' instead of disposing of him quietly was a sign that he was growing soft. _No…_he thought, turning away from the bloody scene before him and resting a hand on the Calico hanging at his side, ready for any more surprises the night might still spring for him. He could still hear the distant sounds of battle between the Puellae Magi and the Witches, in the form of pulsations rippling through the air—mere echoes of the fighting taking place within the Barriers.

_It is simply the moment. Right here and now, that I feel charitable._

"You…You're a good person, aren't you?"

The voice was quiet and broken, emotion subtly seeping away, just like the innocence that no longer existed there.

_It is because of _her _that I am feeling awfully generous today…Damn my empathy._

"I'll get you away from the city. From there, you can decide what you'll do," Kiritsugu gruffly answered, sneaking a glance over his shoulder as he repeated the words spoken to him many, many years ago by someone in a similar position as he. "Is there anything you want to bring?"

It was a useless question to ask, given what he had witnessed, but he asked anyway.

Akemi Homura still stood where she had been for the past few minutes, eerily motionless even as her father's blood continued to slowly drip from her right hand. The older Akemi in question was slumped against the wall in front of her, bullet holes riddling his chest and a pool of blood blossoming underneath him, seeping into the floorboards and glistening obscenely beneath the fluorescent lights.

"_Just 'sometimes'? It sounds like a dangerous job."_

"_More like…as much as possible? It can get scary, fighting them all by myself."_

_Kiritsugu chuckled then, hugging Illyasviel close as his mind already raced ahead with plans to fight these 'Witches' she mentioned, ruffling her silvery hair reassuringly to calm the trembling in her petite shoulders._

"_You won't be alone anymore, Illya. Your fight has become your Daddy's fight."_

_His daughter laughed, clear and bright._

"_I'm so happy…I made that wish!"_

"Nothing," he heard the bespectacled girl say, her voice emotionless and dazed as she finally moved her head to look up towards the heavens, her twin braids swishing with the action.

"Nothing at all."

* * *

_**She Has a Past — **_**END**

* * *

**A/N:** By the Nine…that was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too short, compared to my usual. This barely made 5 pages in Word.

…I kinda want to see more of this, actually. In the end, it all boils down to the readers and whether or not they want to see it, too. :/ I definitely have a plane scene already planned for later on, probably in the same 'verse as this (for now) oneshot.

Yup. A serious start to _Down to Zero We Go_.

Naturally, of course, that will have to be balanced out by some crack or lighthearted fluff with one of my OTPs for the two fandoms. :3

Oh, what the hell…Any requests, guys? I think it's about time I need some sort of prompt instead of just winging it all the time with my own fics. Besides, I write/type stories that I'd like to see written, so…you guys should be given the chance, too!

Just no plot-less smut. For that, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Reviews would be appreciated, so long as they are kept civil. Flames will be used to grill Kyubey. :D

Answering the questions would be great, too. As long as they are also kept civil.

…I also have my ticket for _The Rebellion Story_ already. Unfortunately, I am now terrified of what will happen in December. I'm pretty certain that after watching the movie, I'll be in PRSD (Post Rebellion Story Depression) for a while. It'll be like the original series all over again…except worse, from what I've seen.

I hope that damned uploader simply over-exaggerated on things.


End file.
